Carol Johnston

An Evaluation of Collaborative Problem Solving for Learning Economics

In this article, we describe and evaluate a package of measures designed to introduce a collaborative, problem-solving (CPS) approach to learning into the tutorials of a second-year university macroeconomics subject. These findings are derived from a comparison of a trial group of 311 students and a control group of 301 students, each drawn randomly from students enrolled in a single subject, at a single institution, the University of Melbourne. To learn economics successfully, students need to have ability in both abstract thinking and in application. They also need to be able to express complex ideas logically and fluently. The development of these diverse aspects of thinking is challenging for students in their early undergraduate years and may be one reason why students often view economics as a difficult subject. The 1995 CPS project was a pilot for a wider departmental initiative designed to enhance the role of tutorials (one-hour classes of about 20 students led by a tutor) in the teaching and learning process. The project embodied two major components: problem-based learning and collaborative learning. Both these components were thought to be potentially valuable for undergraduate students

Systematic Influences on Teaching Evaluations: The Case for Caution

In this paper, we examine eight years of Quality of Teaching (QOT) responses from an Economics Department in an Australian University. This is done to determine what factors, besides the instructor, have an impact on the raw average student evaluation scores. Most of the previous research on student ratings has been conducted in the US. One significant difference between US and Australian tertiary education is that, on average, the number of foreign undergraduate students in Australia is ten times the number in US institutions. We find that cultural background significantly affects student evaluations. Other factors that have an influence on the average QOT score include: year level; enrolment size; the quantitative nature of the subject; the gender of the student; fee-paying status by gender; course of study; the differences between the course mark and previous marks; the quality of workbooks; the quality of textbooks; and the QOT score relative to those in other subjects taught at the same time. In addition, average QOT scores for instructors who have taught in a mix of subjects are similar to those based on scores adjusted to account for subject and student characteristics.

Leadership and Organisational Learning in the Quest for World Class Schools.

Reports on a study in a system of public education that is widely believed to be at the forefront of efforts to create world class schools. The aim of the study, thought to be the first of its kind, was to determine the extent to which five disciplines in the Senge model of a learning organisation are apparent in management practices of schools within the system. Concludes that Senge’s model of a learning organisation provides a helpful template for conceptualising progress towards world class schools. Implications for leadership are identified as an avenue through which to energise the quest for world class schools.

The Scholarship of Teaching Economics

Abstract The authors provide an overview of papers presented at The Scholarship of Teaching Economics conference that was held at The University of Melbourne in July 2000. The objective of the conference was to bring attention to research being conducted in economic education at the tertiary level and to engage academic economists in discussion about the scholarship of teaching economics. The presentations of seven of the keynote speakers are discussed using the framework of who, what, and how of teaching economics. Who should determine the curriculum? What should be taught? And how should it be taught?

Enriching the Learning Experience: A CALM Approach

The article outlines and evaluates a new learning strategy implemented in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce at the University of Melbourne. The strategy is an internet-based assignment delivery and assessment system designed to (i) equip students to make the link between macro economic theory and important real-world issues, (ii) develop positive attitudes to the subject, (iii) develop deep approaches to learning, (iv) develop a facility for critical analysis and problem-solving, and (v) develop effective study habits. Using a multidimensional evaluation strategy, the indications are that the new approach has succeeded in its aims.

Web‐delivered, problem‐based learning in organisational behaviour: a new form of CAOS

Recent calls have been made for a fundamental reorientation in higher education from a curriculum that simply transmits information (learner as receiver) to one that encourages students actively to construct their own knowledge and practice using new skills and concepts (learner as constructor). In response, the Case Analysis in Organisational Situations (CAOS) assessment tool was developed for use in teaching organisational behaviour. It follows the principles of problem‐based learning and group work, using an unfolding case design. A pre‐test (n=365), immediate post‐test (n=323) and delayed post‐test (n=129) design was implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of this new learning tool. The assessment of student approaches to learning revealed that students were more likely to adopt a deep approach to learning at the end of CAOS than at the beginning. In general, the results show that CAOS is a useful web‐based tool that promotes learning in organisational behaviour. The benefits of CAOS and some suggested improvements to the existing CAOS format are discussed.

Collaborative Problem Solving in Tutorials for Improving Student Learning in a Statistics Subject: An Evaluation Report

Economics students often view statistics as difficult, principally because of the high level demands for confidence and skill in dealing with statistical concepts, reasoning and manipulation. To assist students to meet the cognitive demands of the statistics subject, Quantitative Methods, a project was conducted in the Department of Economics at the University of Melbourne which introduced a collaborative problem-solving approach to learning in tutorials. This chapter reports the fiindings of a detailed evaluation of the impact of this innovation on student learning and attitudes. The results show a striking improvement in student examination results. We offer an explanation for this outcome, based on surveys of student responses to the initiative and a consideration of the theory.